Oral Cancers

Determining the Grade of the Tumor

Squamous cell cancers of the oral cavity are typically given a grade by a pathologist after looking at the cells under a microscope. Grade means that the tumor falls on a scale from well differentiated (Grade I) to poorly differentiated (Grade IV). Even though there are some studies that show grade is important in predicting outcome,19Listl S, Jansen L, Stenzinger A, Freier K, Emrich K, et al.Survival of patients with oral cavity cancer in Germany. PLoS ONE.2013;8(1):e53415.as of now, grade does not really factor heavily into most doctors’ treatment decisions, nor your prognosis.21Edge SB, et al. The AJCC Cancer Staging Manual – Seventh Edition. American Joint Committee on Cancer 2010.